John Joseph Leyden Jr. was born on April 19, 1923, in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois. He was the son of John J. Leyden Sr. and Edna Lee Laird Leyden. He served in the 603rd Bomber Squadron, 398th Bomb Group, Heavy, as a First Lieutenant and Navigator of B-17 #43-38147 nicknamed ''Fuddy-Duddy'' during World War II.

On November 21, 1944, the aircraft was shot down during a mission over Merseburg, Germany. Operating from Nuthampstead, England, the aircraft was heavily damaged by German fighters. Pilot 1st Lt. Charles E. Howell and co-pilot 2nd Lt. William M. Bryan kept the aircraft stable long enough for three crew members to bail out. The plane crashed near Trügleben, Germany. Seven crew members were killed, and the three survivors were taken as prisoners of war.

1Lt Leyden was Killed in Action and is now buried in the Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City, Los Angeles County, California, USA. John J. Leyden's name is inscribed on the Anstey Window Memorial in Panel 1 (left), on Butterfly 1, in the bottom left wing (section C).

Source of information: www.americanairmuseum.com, www.398th.org